Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a leg garment including a support strip in a tubular body portion, the support strip exerting a tightening force larger than that of a portion of the leg garment around the support strip.
Related Background Art
In recent years, an increasing number of people perceive swelling of their lower legs. Accordingly, there is a demand for getting rid of swelling with a view to a trimming effect. A lower leg is a body part that is less subject to the effect of breathing, and thus, suffers no harm even when a certain degree of compressing force is imposed thereon. Therefore, in order to suppress lower leg swelling, compression socks that compress lower legs of a wearer by means of a circumferential force (circumferential stress or hoop tension) from the circumference to the deep part of the respective lower leg, which is generated as a result of tightening the lower leg, have been developed to reduce the amount of swelling in the lower leg.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-266802 discloses a leg garment including a helical support strip formed therein. The support strip in this leg garment has the shape of an outwardly-wound helix extending from a lateral malleolus to a lower end of a posterior surface of a knee knot via a posterior ankle. Formation of such support strip provides an effect on the skeleton of a lower leg to enhance the mobility of the bones, thereby preventing, e.g., swelling, heaviness or tiredness of the leg.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-219805 discloses a sock including a plurality of compression portions extending obliquely upward, the compression portions being arranged so as to be vertically spaced from one another. In this sock, each compression portion is formed along the direction of the flow of lymph in an attempt to provide stimulatory and massaging effects along the flow of lymph by means of the effect of pressing a skin surface of a lower leg via the compression portion.
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3091572 discloses a supporter formed in a tubular shape, in which elastic fabric portions and intermediate fabric portions (non-elastic fabric portions) are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction of a leg, and the supporter is put on a calf by twisting one of openings of the supporter relative to the other opening. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-310903 discloses a sock whose compression force is gradually changed in a vertical direction to promote blood flow.